Devices, systems and methods for identifying and/or billing an individual in a vehicle

ABSTRACT

Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for identifying a driver versus a passenger within a smart vehicle. This involves a determination of the relative positions of the wireless communication devices within the smart vehicle using near-field communication (NFC) or GPS, AGPS, etc. The wireless communication device detected closest to the driver seat is assumed to be the device owned by the driver. Once identified, the driver can be billed for tolls and other road services, based on the location of the smart vehicle. For instance, as the smart vehicle approaches a toll, a notification can be sent to all of the wireless communication devices. A response from a particular wireless communication device will result in the corresponding user&#39;s account being billed for the toll. Further, the smart vehicle can communicate with near-field transceivers placed, for instance, alongside a High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane. A driver of the vehicle can be billed, fined, or ticketed based upon a determination of an absence of passengers in the smart vehicle.

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/632,857, filed Dec. 8, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,280,791, the contentof which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety intothis disclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to vehicle driver identification. Morespecifically, the present invention relates to determining the driverversus the passengers of a vehicle.

Background of the Invention

In the case of vehicular traffic on a roadway, waterway, etc., there areseveral archaic and time-consuming procedures that are undergone bydrivers, municipalities, and law enforcement. Specifically, the paymentof tolls requires drivers to stop at a toll booth, or purchase anEZ-Pass® card and set up the account. Driving on toll roads requirestoll booths to be set up at specific distances along the road. Drivingin carpool or High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes requires constantmonitoring and enforcement by traffic police to ensure that vehicleswithout passengers remain out of the HOV lane. Further, collecting feesfor tolls, lane usage, fines, etc. is a complex process requiringissuing tickets, or billing several separate accounts for the driver.Several costs are incurred by the municipality in enforcing payments,and by the driver in keeping track of tickets, late fees, etc.

Present-day technology can alleviate some of these problems. Notably,microelectronic devices are becoming more and more ubiquitous. Bycoupling processors, memories, and transceivers to these devices, almostany handheld object can become a wireless communication device capableof transmitting and receiving data over a network. It is easy to set upa personal-area network with a few such devices incorporated intovarious everyday objects. However, this functionality is currently notbeing exploited to its full level. In the case of paying tolls, a driveris still required to stop at a toll booth or purchase and set up aseparate account. Traffic police are still manually controlling adriver's use of an HOV lane.

Some vehicles have transceivers coupled to them, such as cellular or GPSunits, but are still unable to measure or transmit several crucialpieces of information that would otherwise be useful in billing orcharging a driver of the vehicle. Finally, any enforcement of fines,tickets, etc. is still based on a paper-based system using postal mailto deliver ticket notices, and receive payments.

What is needed is a means for seamlessly charging and/or billing adriver of a vehicle in real-time, based upon the location of thevehicle, and the number of passengers in the vehicle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention addresses the above-identified issues byidentifying a driver versus a passenger within a smart vehicle. Inexemplary embodiments of the present invention, this involves adetermination of the relative positions of the wireless communicationdevices within the smart vehicle using near-field communication (NFC) orGPS, AGPS, etc. The wireless communication device detected closest tothe driver seat is assumed to be the device owned by the driver. Onceidentified, the driver can be billed for tolls and other road services,based on the location of the smart vehicle. For instance, as the smartvehicle approaches a toll, a notification can be sent to all thewireless communication devices. A response from a particular wirelesscommunication device will result in the corresponding user's accountbeing billed for the toll. Further, the smart vehicle can communicatewith near-field transceivers placed, for instance, alongside aHigh-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane. A driver of the vehicle can bebilled, fined, or ticketed based upon a determination of an absence ofpassengers in the smart vehicle.

In one exemplary embodiment, the present invention is a system forbilling a driver of a vehicle. The system includes a network, a smartvehicle in communication with the network, a wireless communicationdevice in communication with the smart vehicle, a billing server on thenetwork, the billing server including a user account for a user of thewireless communication device, a client logic on the smart vehicle toretrieve a unique identifier from the wireless communication device,determine a location of the smart vehicle, and transmit the uniqueidentifier and the location to the billing server, and a server logic onthe billing server to associate the unique identifier with the useraccount, and to bill the user account an amount based on the location.

In another exemplary embodiment, the present invention is a method forbilling a driver of a vehicle. The method includes receiving a uniqueidentifier from a wireless communication device in communication with asmart vehicle, determining that a user of the wireless communicationdevice is a driver of the smart vehicle, determining the location of thesmart vehicle, and transmitting the unique identifier and the locationto a billing server on a network. The unique identifier is associatedwith a user account for the user, and the location is associated with anamount to be debited from the user account.

In yet another exemplary embodiment, the present invention is a smartvehicle. The smart vehicle includes a vehicle having a driver seat and apassenger seat, a processor coupled to the vehicle, a memory incommunication with the processor, a transceiver in communication withthe processor, an antenna coupled to the transceiver, the antennapositioned significantly closer to the driver seat than to the passengerseat, and a client logic on the memory to retrieve a unique identifierfrom a wireless communication device, determine a location of thevehicle, and transmit the unique identifier and the location to abilling server on a network. The unique identifier is associated with auser account for the user, and the location is associated with an amountto be debited from the user account.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a smart vehicle, according to an exemplary embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a system for billing a driver of a smart vehicle, accordingto an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a method of billing a driver of a vehicle, according to anexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a smart vehicle approaching a toll booth location,according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a method for billing occupants of a smart vehicleapproaching a toll booth location, according to an exemplary embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows a toll confirmation transmitted to a wireless communicationdevice, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows smart vehicles on an HOV lane, according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows a method for billing a driver of a smart vehicle on an HOVlane, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 shows a screenshot of an HOV lane fee on a wireless communicationdevice, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 shows a screenshot of an HOV lane fine, according to anexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 shows secondary means for verifying a driver's identity,according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 shows a smart vehicle including backup sensors and an in-dashdisplay, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 13A-13B show an aftermarket smart vehicle upgrade, according to anexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 14A-14B show a contactless smart card embedded in a driver'slicense, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 shows a smart vehicle detecting a driver's license, according toan exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description discloses devices, systems, andmethods for identifying a driver versus a passenger within a smartvehicle. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, thisinvolves a determination of the relative positions of the wirelesscommunication devices within the smart vehicle using near-fieldcommunication (NFC) or GPS, AGPS, etc. The wireless communication devicedetected closest to the driver seat is assumed to be the device owned bythe driver. Once identified, the driver can be billed for tolls andother road services, based on the location of the smart vehicle. Forinstance, as the smart vehicle approaches a toll, a notification can besent to all the wireless communication devices within the smart vehicle.A response from a particular wireless communication device will resultin the corresponding user's account being billed for the toll. Further,the smart vehicle can communicate with near-field transceivers placed,for instance, alongside a High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane. A driver ofthe vehicle can be billed, fined, or ticketed based upon a determinationof an absence of passengers in the smart vehicle.

“Wireless communication device”, as used herein and throughout thisdisclosure, refers to any electronic device capable of wirelesslysending and receiving data. A wireless communication device may have aprocessor, a memory, a transceiver, an input, and an output. Examples ofsuch devices include cellular telephones, personal digital assistants(PDAs), portable computers, etc. A wireless communication device alsoincludes smart cards, such as contactless integrated circuit cards(CICC). The memory stores applications, software, or logic. Examples ofprocessors are computer processors (processing units), microprocessors,digital signal processors, controllers and microcontrollers, etc.Examples of device memories that may comprise logic include RAM (randomaccess memory), flash memories, ROMS (read-only memories), EPROMS(erasable programmable read-only memories), and EEPROMS (electricallyerasable programmable read-only memories).

“Logic” as used herein and throughout this disclosure, refers to anyinformation having the form of instruction signals and/or data that maybe applied to direct the operation of a processor. Logic may be formedfrom signals stored in a device memory. Software is one example of suchlogic. Logic may also be comprised by digital and/or analog hardwarecircuits, for example, hardware circuits comprising logical AND, OR,XOR, NAND, NOR, and other logical operations. Logic may be formed fromcombinations of software and hardware. On a network, logic may beprogrammed on a server, or a complex of servers. A particular logic unitis not limited to a single logical location on the network.

Wireless communication devices communicate with each other and withother elements via a network, for instance, a wireless network, or awireline network. A “network” can include broadband wide-area networks,local-area networks, and personal area networks. Communication across anetwork is preferably packet-based; however, radio andfrequency/amplitude modulations networks can enable communicationbetween communication devices using appropriate analog-digital-analogconverters and other elements. Examples of radio networks include Wi-Fiand BLUETOOTH® networks, with communication being enabled by hardwareelements called “transceivers.” A CICC, for instance, has an RFIDtransceiver. Wireless communication devices may have more than onetransceiver, capable of communicating over different networks. Forexample, a cellular telephone can include a GPRS transceiver forcommunicating with a cellular base station, a Wi-Fi transceiver forcommunicating with a Wi-Fi network, and a BLUETOOTH® transceiver forcommunicating with a BLUETOOTH® device. A network typically includes aplurality of elements that host logic for performing tasks on thenetwork.

In modern packet-based wide-area networks, servers may be placed atseveral logical points on the network. Servers may further be incommunication with databases and can enable communication devices toaccess the contents of a database. A billing server is an example ofsuch a server. A billing server can include several network elements,including other servers, and is part of the back-end of a networkoperator's network, for example, a cellular network. A billing serverhosts or is in communication with a database hosting an account for auser of a wireless communication device. The “user account” includesseveral attributes for a particular user, including a unique identifierof the wireless communication device(s) owned by the user, relationshipswith other users, usage, bank account, and other information. A billingserver may refer to other servers on different networks to update a useraccount.

A “vehicle,” as used herein and throughout this disclosure, includescars, trucks, and buses, as well as aircrafts and watercrafts.

A “location”, as used herein and throughout this disclosure, is anyphysical location on an identifiable route or path (such as a road orwaterway) that is specially designated for a purpose. An HOV lane can bea location. A toll booth can be a location. A location may include ageo-fence. A geo-fence is a virtual perimeter around a location suchthat when a smart vehicle enters or exits the location, a notificationis generated. A location can be determined using GPS/A-GPS, or proximityto NFC transceivers. The area of the location can be controlled by thenumber and range of the NFC transceivers.

For the following description, it can be assumed that mostcorrespondingly labeled structures across the figures (e.g., 132 and232, etc.) possess the same characteristics and are subject to the samestructure and function. If there is a difference between correspondinglylabeled elements that is not pointed out, and this difference results ina non-corresponding structure or function of an element for a particularembodiment, then that conflicting description given for that particularembodiment shall govern.

FIG. 1 shows a smart vehicle, according to an exemplary embodiment ofthe present invention. In this embodiment, the smart vehicle is avehicle 100, including a central processing unit (CPU) 102, a memory 104storing a client logic 105, a transceiver 106, an antenna 108, a driverseat 110, and passenger seats 112. Vehicle 100 can be any car, truck,boat, or aircraft. CPU 102 commands components of vehicle 100 accordingto client logic 105 on memory 104. Transceiver 106 allows vehicle 100 towirelessly communicate with other devices on a network, for instance apersonal area network within vehicle 100, a near-field communication(NFC) transceiver outside vehicle 100, other wireless devices, and soon. This communication may be through cellular radio frequency (RF)signals, WiFi, BLUETOOTH, infrared (IR), etc. Antenna 108 is atransducer designed to transmit or receive electromagnetic waves.

The determination of a driver is performed by the smart vehicle, in thisexemplary embodiment, as follows. Transceiver 106, via antenna 108,detects the presence of wireless communication devices located withinvehicle 100. Each occupant of vehicle 100 (such as occupants of driverseat 110 and passenger seats 112) carries with them a wirelesscommunication device such as a cellular telephone or a contactless smartcard. Each wireless communication device is able to transmit a uniqueidentifier corresponding to a user account for the user of the device.In the case of a cellular telephone, the unique identifier may be anMSISDN, IMSI, MAC address, etc. In the case of a contactless smart card,the unique identifier can be any alphanumeric, hexadecimal, or otherunique string of characters. Using a personal area network, ornear-field communication, antenna 108 transmits a request for a uniqueidentifier from the wireless communication devices within range ofantenna 108. The wireless communication devices respond with the uniqueidentifier. Client logic 105 retrieves the unique identifier from eachwireless communication device and associates the identifier with eithera driver or a passenger. The location of the driver is determined via aproximity measurement derived from signal strength, delay, or othermeasurements from antenna 108. For instance, since antenna 108 islocated closest to driver seat 110, the driver's wireless communicationdevice has the strongest communication link to antenna 108, along withthe shortest delay. Therefore, in the present embodiment, a driver iseasily determined by placing antenna 108 significantly closer to thedriver than any passenger. This ensures that antenna 108 perceives ameasurable difference between signals from the driver and signals from apassenger.

The smart vehicle also determines a location of vehicle 100, accordingto this exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Thisdetermination may be performed via a GPS unit located in vehicle 100, orvia a GPS unit located on a wireless communication device incommunication with vehicle 100. For instance, a cellular telephoneincludes an AGPS unit, and transmits location coordinates to CPU 102 viatransceiver 106. The determination of the location allows the smartvehicle to determine whether or not to submit a billing request to abilling server, which in turn bills the driver for driving in aparticular location. Alternatively, the smart vehicle can constantlytransmit a location to a server on the network, and a determination ismade at the network whether or not to bill the driver. The smart vehiclemay further communicate with roadside NFC transceivers. The NFCtransceivers communicate location information to transceiver 106, and adetermination is made to bill the driver based on the detected location.

To bill an occupant of the vehicle, a unique identifier and a locationare transmitted to a billing server across a network, according toexemplary embodiments of the present invention. The billing server maybe a part of the cellular network operator's billing subsystem, or maybe part of an external billing system, such as one operated by agovernmental entity. The billing system is flexible and may depend on acontractual arrangement between the network operator, such as a cellularservice provider, and the governmental entity, such as a transitauthority or municipality. Upon receiving the unique identifier and thelocation, a determination is made to bill a user account associated withthe unique identifier, wherein the amount billed depends upon thelocation and/or other factors such as speed, time, etc. The user accountcan be managed by a network operator, governmental entity, etc., and maydepend on the aforementioned contractual agreement. For instance,driving in the left lane during certain times of day may require a feecharged per vehicle, depending on the number of passengers in thevehicle, wherein the number of passengers corresponds to a determinationof the number of wireless communication devices in the vehicle. In someexemplary embodiments, any occupant can be billed for the smart vehiclebeing in a particular location. A prompt transmitted to the occupants'wireless communication devices requests payment, and a confirmationreceived from one occupant's wireless communication device authorizesthe transaction as further described below. The user account associatedwith the unique identifier of the wireless communication device canfurther be tied to a bank account or credit card, so that funds can betransferred. Alternatively the user is billed on a regular basis for hisusage of the specific locations.

FIG. 2 shows a system for billing a driver of a smart vehicle, accordingto an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment,the system includes a smart vehicle 200 with a client logic 205, awireless communication device 220 with a wireless logic 221, a network230, and a billing server 232 with a server logic 234 and a database236. Smart vehicle 200 is in communication with wireless communicationdevice 220 and with billing server 232 over network 230. Wirelesscommunication device 220 is shown outside smart vehicle 200 for purposesof showing the flow of communication only. It is to be understood thatwireless communication device 220 is used by an occupant of smartvehicle 200. Smart vehicle 200 transmits a request to wirelesscommunication device 220, and wireless logic 221 responds with theunique identifier. Client logic 205 on smart vehicle 200, via an antennaand transceiver, receives a unique identifier from one or more wirelesscommunication devices 220, and uses triangulation, signal strength, orsignal propagation delay to determine the relative positions of wirelesscommunication devices 220 within smart vehicle 200.

Client logic 205 transmits the unique identifier and location to billingserver 232 via network 230. This transmission may occur via Wi-Fi, GPRS,or other protocols capable of communicating such information across awide-area network such as the Internet. Billing server 232 is part of aback end of network 230, or can be part of an external network operatedby another service provider, such as a governmental or municipal entity.Billing server 232 includes a user account that is associated with theunique identifier transmitted from wireless communication device 220.Server logic 234 determines the association with the user account, andbills the user account an amount based upon the location of wirelesscommunication device 220. The relationships between specific locations,such as toll booths, and the particular amount, are specified in adatabase 236. Database 236 can also store the user accounts andcorrelate the user accounts with the specific amounts to be charged perlocation. The user is then billed by debiting the account or by sendinga bill to the user's address as stored in the user account.

FIG. 3 shows a method of billing a driver of a vehicle, according to anexemplary embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, asmart vehicle requests the unique identifiers of wireless communicationdevices located within the smart vehicle S340. Each of these uniqueidentifiers is associated with a user account. The unique identifiersmay be requested upon occupants entering the vehicle, upon the driverstarting the vehicle, or upon determining that a bill or payment needsto be executed. In either case, the unique identifiers are transmittedfrom the wireless communication devices and received by the smartvehicle S341. The process of requesting S340 and receiving S341 canhappen via a personal area network, such as BLUETOOTH, or via NFC, usingcontactless smart cards. Alternatively a local area network using Wi-Fior equivalent may be established between the smart vehicle and thewireless communication devices.

The smart vehicle then determines which of the wireless communicationdevices belongs to a driver of the smart vehicle S342. DeterminationS342 is performed using one or more antennas or receivers specificallypositioned within the smart vehicle. Using the antennas, locations ofthe wireless communication devices are derived using triangulation, suchas RFID or NFC triangulation, a measurement of signalstrength/propagation delay, or an equivalent method. For instance, anantenna placed significantly closer to a driver seat than a passengerseat receives a stronger signal from a driver's wireless communicationdevice than from a passenger's wireless communication device.Determination S342 can further utilize cellular radio frequency (RF)signals, WiFi, BLUETOOTH, infrared (IR), etc. Any unique identifier thatis determined not to belong to the driver is labeled as a passenger'sunique identifier S343. In this exemplary embodiment, the smart vehiclestops receiving unique identifiers after a driver has been identified.However, in other exemplary embodiments, the process of receiving uniqueidentifiers S341 is repeated until all the devices in the smart vehicleare detected. At least one of the unique identifiers is associated witha driver. Once the driver is determined, restrictions may be placed uponthe driver's wireless communication device. Such restrictions mayprevent text messaging, web surfing, etc., while the smart vehicle isrunning. The restrictions may be executed via a “crippling” applicationinstalled on the driver's mobile communication device, by editingregistry entries of an operating system of the driver's mobilecommunication device, by limiting services offered by the network duringthe course of driving the vehicle (such as disabling text messages), orby any equivalent means known in the art.

A location of the smart vehicle is then determined S344. The locationincludes any combination of specific roads or routes, specific lanes,toll booths or gates on a road, bridges, etc. A known location is storedin a location database and associated with a particular billing amount.The database can be stored anywhere, for instance on the memory in thesmart vehicle itself, or on a network. The location is determined usinga GPS on the smart vehicle, a GPS on one of the wireless communicationdevices within the smart vehicle, using AGPS on the smart vehicle or oneof the wireless communication devices, etc. For instance, a serviceprovider defines a geo-fence corresponding to a particular lane or tollbooth. If the measured GPS coordinates fall within the geo-fence, thenthe appropriate location is determined and recorded. The location canalso be determined by communicating with roadside NFC transceiverspositioned in the location, for instance, alongside an HOV lane. Thetransceiver on the smart vehicle communicates with the NFC transceiversto retrieve the particular location. The smart vehicle then transmitsthe unique identification and the location to a network or billingserver S345. The location of the smart vehicle and, in some embodiments,the number of passengers, is used to determine an amount to be debitedfrom the user's account. The relationship between the location, thepassengers, the amount to be billed, and the user account to be billedcan all be stored in one or more databases distributed across thenetwork. Furthermore a location database can be stored in the smartvehicle itself, and periodically updated from a server on the network.

As described herein, near-field communications (NFC) allows a smartvehicle to determine the number and identity of occupants in a vehicle,the location of the vehicle, the speed of the vehicle, and charge anoccupant based on this information. For instance, based on the user'sroute choice, the user may be charged a toll. NFC transceivers placedalong a toll area, or a toll booth, command the smart vehicle todetermine a user's location and transmit the location to a server forbilling purposes. This eliminates the need to stop, count money, etc.

FIG. 4 shows a smart vehicle approaching a toll booth location,according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In thisembodiment, smart vehicle 400 is carrying three occupants: a driver, andtwo passengers. The driver is a user of driver's wireless communicationdevice 420, a front seat passenger is a user of wireless communicationdevice 424, and a backseat passenger is a user of wireless communicationdevice 426. Smart vehicle 400 is traveling along road 450, approachingtoll gate 452. Within the proximity of toll gate 452 is defined as atoll location 454. Toll location 454 may be defined by a geo-fencecreated by the toll gate operator, or toll location 454 is defined bythe range of one or more roadside NFC transceivers.

An antenna and transceiver in smart vehicle 400 are used by a clientlogic to determine a relative position of each wireless communicationdevice 420, 424, 426 located within smart vehicle 400. Smart vehicle 400identifies the driver using the methods described herein, i.e. bycapturing a unique identifier from driver's wireless communicationdevice 420. When passing through toll gate 452, smart vehicle 400 enterstoll location 454. Within toll location 454, smart vehicle detects thelocation by correlating the present location with a database of knownlocations. Alternatively, the correlation of the present location withtoll location 454 is performed at a server on a network. In either case,smart vehicle 400 transmits the unique identifier of driver's wirelesscommunication device 420, along with the location information 454, to abilling server using a cellular, GPRS, or equivalent network. The useraccount associated with driver's wireless communication device 420 isbilled for the toll. Alternatively, smart vehicle 400 submits the uniqueidentifier of the driver to a transceiver located in toll gate 452. Tollgate 452 sends the unique identifier along with a toll amount to abilling server which deducts the amount from a user account associatedwith the unique identifier. Other methods of transmitting the locationand unique identifier to a billing system are possible.

Any or all of the occupants in the smart vehicle can pay the toll. Thedriver and passengers can decide between themselves which person is topay the toll. In these embodiments, the designated occupant indicates tothe smart vehicle that they will pay the toll. The driver and passengersmay also decide to split the tolls, create an order for paying tolls,etc. This may be decided before the smart vehicle ever enters a tolllane, such as when the passengers get into the smart vehicle.Alternatively, this is decided when a toll amount is due, for instance,by sending a request to devices 420, 424, 426, and receiving a responsefrom a particular wireless communication device.

FIG. 5 shows a method for billing occupants of a smart vehicleapproaching a toll booth location, according to an exemplary embodimentof the present invention. In this embodiment, the smart vehicledetermines that it is in a toll location S560. This can be performed bycorrelating presently detected coordinates with a pre-programmed knownlocation on a database, as described above. Once it is determined thatthe location is a toll location, the smart vehicle determines if thereare any passengers in the vehicle S561. This is determined by detectingthe presence and identities of the wireless communication devices insidethe smart vehicle. The determination of passengers can also be performedwhen the smart vehicle is first started. If there are passengers in thesmart vehicle, then a request is submitted to the passengers, as well asthe driver, to pay the toll S562. This may be accomplished bytransmitting a request to the wireless communication device of each ofthe occupants, i.e. via a text message, or by communicating with anapplication installed on the occupants' cellular telephones. The requestcan also be displayed on an in-dash display within smart vehicle. Theoccupants are given a choice whether or not to accept the toll chargesS563. If at least one of the occupants accepts the toll charges, then aunique identifier for that particular passenger's wireless communicationdevice, along with a location of the smart vehicle, are transmitted S564to a billing server, either directly or via the toll gate. If thepassengers decline the toll charges, then a unique identifier from thedriver's wireless communication device is used instead S565. Since theunique identifier of the driver is a default identifier to be used, evenif no passengers are detected or present in the smart vehicle, thedriver's unique identifier along with the location is transmitted S565.

FIG. 6 shows a toll confirmation 670 transmitted to a wirelesscommunication device 624, according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention. In this embodiment, wireless communication device 624belongs to one of the passengers in a smart vehicle. Wirelesscommunication device 624 includes a screen 627 and a keypad 625. Screen627 displays toll confirmation 670, allowing the passenger to accept atoll charge for the driver. Toll confirmation 670 includes a ‘Yes’button 671 and a ‘No’ button 672. Selecting ‘Yes’ button 671 confirmsthe passenger wishes to pay for the toll, and that a user accountassociated with a unique identifier from wireless communication device624 is to be billed for the toll. Selecting ‘No’ button 672 confirmsthat the passenger does not wish to pay for the toll. Keypad 625 allowsthe passenger to input an acceptance or denial of the toll charge, aswell as other commands. For example, the passenger may select toautomatically pay all future tolls, never pay tolls, pay up to a certainamount, pay a certain percentage with the remainder to be split acrossthe other occupants, and so on. A similar notification can be sent to awireless communication device used by the driver, as well as to adisplay on the smart vehicle itself.

As mentioned above, the present invention also allows billing a driveror passenger for using an HOV lane. Geo-fencing can be used to definethe boundaries of the HOV lane. Alternatively, NFC transceivers can beplaced along the lane, tuned to a range having the width of the lane.When a smart vehicle enters the HOV lane, the driver's identity, apassenger count, and the location of the HOV lane is transmitted to abilling server. The driver can be billed based upon the number of milesdriven in the HOV lane. A passenger count alerts the appropriateauthorities whenever a vehicle is detected with a number of passengersless than what is required for the HOV lane. Enforcement of HOVpassenger minimums is therefore significantly easier. Instead of havingpolice officers check each and every vehicle, they can simply monitoralerts from smart vehicles communicating across a network.

FIG. 7 shows smart vehicles on an HOV lane, according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, smart vehicles700, 701, and 703 and 707 are traveling on a roadway 750. Roadway 750 isdivided into two lanes, with one of the lanes being an HOV lane,indicated by HOV sign 752, and enclosed within the dotted arearepresenting a geo-fence 754. The location of the HOV lane isestablished by defining geo-fence 754. Alternatively, NFC transceiverscan be positioned along the left side of roadway 750. NFC transceiverscan also be placed within HOV sign 752. The range of the NFCtransceivers identifies the boundaries of the HOV lane. The HOV lane orother locations is restricted to a specific number of passengers. Forexample, traveling in the HOV lane may require a minimum of twopassengers riding in the vehicle.

In the present embodiment, smart vehicles 700, 701, and 703 are ridingin the HOV lane, while smart vehicle 707 is riding in a non-HOV lane.The smart vehicles detect the number of passengers each is carrying,using the methods described above. If a passenger count does not meetthe minimum requirements of the HOV lane, then a notification may betransmitted to the appropriate authorities, or to a billing server. Insome cases, a warning is transmitted to the driver, alerting the driverto change back to a regular lane before a ticket or fine isautomatically issued. For instance, smart vehicle 701 detects threepassengers, and smart vehicle 703 detects only one passenger. The smartvehicles transmit the passenger count of each to a billing server,potentially via the roadside NFC transceiver in HOV sign 752. Thebilling server compares the required minimum number of passengers withthe passenger counts received from each smart vehicle. Smart vehicle 701meets the minimum number of passengers necessary to ride in the HOVlane, which is one (in addition to the driver) in this case. Smartvehicle 703 does not meet the minimum number of passengers necessary toride in the HOV lane. Thus, the driver of smart vehicle 703 may benotified via the driver's wireless communication device or via anin-dash display that the driver needs to move out of the HOV lane. Theserver can additionally submit an alert to the traffic police that smartvehicle 703 is improperly traveling in the HOV lane. Alternatively, thedriver of smart vehicle 703 may be charged a fine for improper use ofthe HOV lane, similar to the billing in above embodiments.

FIG. 8 shows a method for billing a driver of a smart vehicle on an HOVlane, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Inthis embodiment, a smart vehicle determines that it is being driven inan HOV lane S880. This can be performed by correlating presentlydetected coordinates with a pre-programmed known location on a databaseor by detecting the presence of a geo-fence, as described above. Thegeo-fence may be defined by a network operator using GPS coordinates, orusing a plurality of road side NFC transceivers equipped withBLUETOOTH®, Wi-Fi, or a similar short-range protocols. Once it isdetermined that the location is an HOV lane, smart vehicle determinesthe number of passengers in the smart vehicle S881. This is determinedby detecting the presence and unique identifiers of the wirelesscommunication devices inside the smart vehicle. The determination ofpassengers can also be performed when the smart vehicle is firststarted. If there are passengers in the smart vehicle, or if thepassenger count meets the requirements for the HOV lane, then no fee ischarged S882. If there are not any passengers in the smart vehicle, ornot enough passengers, then a unique identifier from the driver'swireless communication device, along with a location of the smartvehicle, is transmitted through the NFC device or cellular network to abilling server S883. The billing server determines an HOV fee. The HOVfee may be based on the location, distance travelled in the HOV lane,etc. Once the smart vehicle exits the HOV lane the fee is calculated anda confirmation of the HOV fee is sent to the smart vehicle S884. Thesmart vehicle then forwards the confirmation of the HOV fee to thewireless communication device of the driver S885.

Besides using HOV lanes, the present disclosure also provides for theability to charge users for using lanes specially designated for trafficat certain speeds. The user can be billed depending on how fast thesmart vehicle is being driven. In a fast lane, for instance, NFCtransceivers spaced every 100 meters can determine a speed of a user aswell as the total distance traveled in the lane. Using this informationthe system can charge different rates based on how quickly traffic ismoving. BLUETOOTH® is another possible protocol that can be used,depending on the required range for communicating with the smartvehicle. Specific lanes may be geo-fenced, with one amount being chargedinside the fencing and another outside the fencing. Therefore, a userreaches his destination faster by paying a fee, based on the distancetraveled in the fast lane.

The smart vehicle can transmit to the billing server several detailsthat can be used to determine the amount for the toll or lane use fee. Alocation, a passenger count, speed, and distance driven on a lane areused to calculate a total fee. The breakdown of this can be transmittedto the driver in the form of an electronic receipt. The receipt can betransmitted to a driver's wireless communication device, or to adashboard display in the smart vehicle.

FIG. 9 shows a screenshot of an HOV lane fee receipt 970 transmitted toa wireless communication device 920, according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention. Wireless communication device 920has a keypad 925, a screen 927, and HOV Lane Fee Receipt 970 displayedon screen 927. HOV Lane Fee Receipt 970 includes a passenger count 971,an average speed 972, a speed fee 973, a total time 974, and a totalamount 975 for the fee. In this instance, the driver has traveled at aspeed of 63 mph, which is 8 mph in excess of the maximum speed of 55mph. Additionally, the driver has traveled with zero passengers in theHOV lane for a time of 12 minutes. $8.00 per minute for 12 minutesresults in a fine of $96.00. HOV Lane Fee Receipt 970 can be received inthe form of a text message, or on an application on wirelesscommunication device 920. The driver has the option of saving 976 orreturning 977 to a previous screen. Keypad 925 allows the driver toselect options from screen 920, place calls, create messages, etc.

FIG. 10 shows a screenshot of an HOV Fine Receipt 1070 on a wirelesscommunication device 1020, according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention. Wireless communication device 1020 has a keypad 1025,a screen 1027, and HOV Fine Receipt 1070 displayed on screen 1027. HOVFine Receipt 1070 includes a passenger count 1071, a fine per minute1072 for traveling without passengers in the HOV lane, a total time1073, and a total amount 1074 for the fee. In this instance, the driverhas traveled in the HOV lane for 12 minutes without any passengers,thereby incurring a $5.00 per minute fee, totaling $60.00. HOV FineReceipt 1070 can be received in the form of a text message, or on anapplication on wireless communication device 1020. The driver has theoption of saving 1075 or returning 1076 to a previous screen.

The present invention also allows for several secondary means of driveridentification. One can conceive of situations where an occupant of asmart vehicle is not instantly detectable using the methods describedabove. For instance, a wireless communication device may be switched offor a battery dies. The wireless communication device may be placed in apurse or bag and put in the back seat, or another part of the vehicle,or held by a passenger. This can result in mistaken driveridentification. Alternatively, some users may attempt to spoof thesystem to avoid charges. Therefore, the smart vehicle includes aplurality of secondary identification means, including biometrics andweight sensors. These backup means for driver and passengeridentification introduce a redundancy to the present invention, allowingthe billing system to verify that the correct party is beingappropriately billed, thereby reducing identification and billingerrors.

FIG. 11 shows secondary means for verifying a driver's identity,according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Smartvehicle 1100 comes equipped with a CPU 1102, a memory 1104, atransceiver 1106, an antenna 1108, and a driver seat 1110. As describedabove, CPU 1102, based on logic stored on memory 1104, controlstransceiver 1106 to detect the presence of and unique identifiers fromany wireless communication devices located within smart vehicle 1100. Adriver's wireless communication device is identified by its relativeproximity to antenna 1108, which is positioned significantly closer todriver seat 1110 than any other seat in smart vehicle 1100.

However, in the case that an identity of a driver cannot be ascertained,smart vehicle 1100 includes a plurality of secondary sensors. Theseinclude a biometric identifier 1114, for instance, a fingerprint scannerplaced on the steering wheel. A database of drivers' fingerprints isstored on memory 1104 or externally on a network, and the detectedfingerprint is associated with a driver's identity. Although this can beused for security purposes (such as starting the vehicle, reporting astolen vehicle, etc.) or for convenience purposes (such as adjusting theseat back/position/mirrors based on the identified driver), the presentinvention uses this biometric identifier to associate the driver with auser account associated with the driver. Thus, if the driver's wirelesscommunication device is switched off or undetectable, the driver canstill be billed for driving in a particular location.

Smart vehicle 1100 further includes a weight scale 1116 coupled todriver seat 1110. Weight scale 1116 determines a weight of a driver.Weight scale 1116 can include a strain gauge, piezoelectric sensor, etc.The measured weight serves several purposes; including identifyingwhether or not a driver is present in the vehicle, such that an improperdriver identification is avoided if a passenger's wireless communicationdevice is detected to be in proximity of antenna 1108. Further, aparticular weight or range of weights can be programmed to correspond tospecified driver profiles, such that smart vehicle 1100 is aware whichdriver is driving smart vehicle 1100, and thereby transmits theappropriate driver's identity to the billing server. Combinations ofthese secondary sensors are possible, and will be apparent to oneskilled in the art in light of this disclosure.

The concept of backup identification can also be applied to thepassengers in the smart vehicle. FIG. 12 shows a smart vehicle 1200including backup sensors and an in-dash display 1218, according to anexemplary embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, smartvehicle 1200 includes four antennae 1208, positioned on each corner ofsmart vehicle 1200. Each antenna is positioned substantially closer toone of the seats than any other seat. Each seat is further equipped witha biometric sensor, such as fingerprint readers 1214, and weight scales1216. Smart vehicle 1200 also has in-dash display 1218 and a controlpanel 1219 in communication with a processor and memory (not shown).

The secondary sensors 1214 and 1216 serve to verify an identity of adriver and passengers as described above. Furthermore, weight scales1216 can help smart vehicle 1200 to determine a number of passengersregardless of whether or not the passengers have wireless communicationdevices. Therefore, the number of passengers can be counted even if nounique identifiers are received by antennae 1208. Furthermore,fingerprint readers 1214 provide a verification of the identity ofpassengers, so as to prevent spoofing, and/or to avoid billing errors incase a wireless communication device belonging to a driver or apassenger is moved around the vehicle. In some exemplary embodimentsweight scales 1216 are used merely to determine passenger presence andnot necessarily passenger identity.

Finally, in-dash display 1218 and control panel 1219 respectively serveas output and input devices to control smart vehicle 1200. Specifically,in the situation that a toll needs to be paid, an output on in-dashdisplay 1218 prompts a driver or passenger to determine which one of theplurality of occupants wants to pay the toll. This is an alternative tothe embodiment where a message is transmitted to the wirelesscommunication devices of each occupant. In this case, an occupant canselect who makes the payment simply by using control panel 1219. Otherstatus updates and location updates can be displayed on in-dash display1218.

The above embodiment disclosed a smart vehicle having an in-dash displayand a control panel to control the smart vehicle. However, the presentinvention allows for the entire functionality of the smart vehicle to beincorporated into a single aftermarket unit that can be used to upgradeany basic vehicle into a smart vehicle. FIGS. 13A-13B show such anaftermarket smart vehicle upgrade 1309, according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention. Upgrade 1309 mimics the form factorof traditional in-dash head units such as CD players or car audioreceivers, and includes a display 1318, a control panel 1319, and canalso include a disc-reader 1390. Display 1318 is any LCD or equivalentdisplay, control panel 1319 includes buttons, sliders, etc., and discreader 1390 can play audio and data discs such as CDs, DVDs, etc. Theinner components of upgrade 1309 include a CPU 1302, a memory 1304having client logic 1305 stored therein, a transceiver 1306, a pluralityof antennae 1308, and a wire harness 1392. The functions of CPU 1302,memory 1304, transceiver 1306, and antennae 1308 in the aftermarket unitare substantially similar to the functions of the equivalent componentsof the smart vehicle, which have been amply described above. Note thatthe placement of antennae 1308 is flexible, thereby allowing a user toconfigure the upgrade to conform to a particular vehicle. Each antenna1308 has a long wire connecting it to upgrade 1309 allowing each antenna1308 to be placed anywhere inside the vehicle.

Wire harness 1392 provides an interface to other components of avehicle. In traditional in-dash head units, wire harnesses 1392 providean interface to the speakers, amplifiers, fuse boxes, and otherelectrical systems of a vehicle. In this embodiment, wire harness 1392can further provide an interface to various sensors within the vehicle,such as speedometers, external transceivers, biometric/weight sensorsembedded in the seats, etc. Therefore a user who installs upgrade 1309in their vehicle can control several “smart” features via display 1318and control panel 1319. Further, logic 1305 can be programmed to includeseveral presets corresponding to existing vehicles, and disc reader 1390can be used to program new presets, load databases of locationscorresponding to HOV lanes, toll booths, maps, and other information.

A wireless communication device includes many devices having aprocessor, memory, and transceiver. A contactless smart card includesall of the above, and in some embodiments, can be integrated into anyobject that a driver or passenger carries around all the time. Thus, noextra effort is needed to ensure that the wireless communication deviceis on the user's person at all times. For instance, a contactless smartcard can be embedded in a user's driver's license. Since the driver isrequired by law to carry positive identification at all times whiledriving, a smart vehicle equipped with a contactless smart card readerwill always be able to determine the driver's identity, and thereforebill the driver based on a location of the smart vehicle.

FIGS. 14A-14B show a contactless smart card embedded in a driver'slicense 1494, according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention. Driver's license 1494 includes embedded within it a CPU 1495,a memory 1496 having wireless logic 1497 stored therein, a transceiver1498 and an antenna 1499. CPU 1495 controls the sending and receiving ofsignals via transceiver 1498 based on wireless logic 1497 stored onmemory 1496. Antenna 1499 receives RF signals from the smart vehicle andtransmits them to transceiver 1498. Antenna 1499 further acts as aninductor to capture the RF signal from the smart vehicle, rectify it,and thereby power the other components. In an alternative embodiment,the contactless smart card includes a power supply, thereby allowingdriver's license 1494 to communicate across greater distances. Memory1496 additionally stores a unique identifier for the driver. Uponreceiving an RF query from the smart vehicle, logic 1497 retrieves thestored unique identifier and transmits it to the smart vehicle viatransceiver 1498.

FIG. 15 shows a smart vehicle 1500 detecting a driver's license 1594,according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Driver'slicense 1594, including wireless logic 1597 is in communication with anantenna 1508 of smart vehicle 1500. Client logic 1505 onboard smartvehicle 1500 enables antenna 1508 to transmit an RF query within smartvehicle 1500. The RF query is sensed by an antenna of driver's license1594. Wireless logic 1597, in response, transmits a unique identifiercorresponding to the driver's identity back to client logic 1505. Asdescribed in the embodiments above, client logic 1505 determines thatthe unique identifier corresponds to a driver's identity, depending onthe placement of antennas 1508, and the strength and/or latency of thereceived signal. Upon a determination of the driver's identity, thisinformation, along with a location of smart vehicle 1500, can betransmitted to a billing server.

The foregoing disclosure of the exemplary embodiments of the presentinvention has been presented for purposes of illustration anddescription. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit theinvention to the precise forms disclosed. Many variations andmodifications of the embodiments described herein will be apparent toone of ordinary skill in the art in light of the above disclosure. Thescope of the invention is to be defined only by the claims appendedhereto, and by their equivalents.

Further, in describing representative embodiments of the presentinvention, the specification may have presented the method and/orprocess of the present invention as a particular sequence of steps.However, to the extent that the method or process does not rely on theparticular order of steps set forth herein, the method or process shouldnot be limited to the particular sequence of steps described. As one ofordinary skill in the art would appreciate, other sequences of steps maybe possible. Therefore, the particular order of the steps set forth inthe specification should not be construed as limitations on the claims.In addition, the claims directed to the method and/or process of thepresent invention should not be limited to the performance of theirsteps in the order written, and one skilled in the art can readilyappreciate that the sequences may be varied and still remain within thespirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A smart vehicle comprising: an antenna positionedat a distance that is closer to a driver seat of the smart vehicle thana passenger seat of the smart vehicle; at least one processor; and adevice memory that stores computer-executable instructions that, whenexecuted by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processorto perform operations including: receiving a first unique identifierfrom a first wireless communication device associated with a first userand a second unique identifier from a second wireless communicationdevice associated with a second user, both the first wirelesscommunication device and the second wireless communication device beingwithin a proximity of the smart vehicle, determining that acommunication link between the antenna and the first wirelesscommunication device is associated with a signal strength that isgreater than a signal strength associated with a communication linkbetween the antenna and the second wireless communication device,determining, based at least in part on the communication link betweenthe antenna and the first wireless communication device being associatedwith the signal strength that is greater than the signal strengthassociated with the communication link between the antenna and thesecond wireless communication device and further based in part on theantenna being positioned closer to the driver seat of the smart vehiclethan the passenger seat of the smart vehicle, that the first userassociated with the first wireless communication device is a driver ofthe smart vehicle, determining a location of the smart vehicle, whereindetermining the location of the smart vehicle comprises receiving, froma roadside near-field communication transceiver, location informationrelated to the location of the smart vehicle, determining, based on thelocation of the smart vehicle, to bill the driver, and transmitting,across a network, to a billing server, the first unique identifier fromthe first wireless communication device and the location of the smartvehicle, wherein the billing server determines a user account associatedwith the first unique identifier and bills the user account an amountbased on the location of the smart vehicle.
 2. The smart vehicle ofclaim 1, wherein the location of the smart vehicle includes any one of alane on a highway, a toll booth, or a geo-fence.
 3. The smart vehicle ofclaim 1, further comprising a plurality of wireless communicationdevices in communication with the smart vehicle, the plurality ofwireless communication devices including the first wirelesscommunication device and the second wireless communication device. 4.The smart vehicle of claim 1, wherein a billing notification is receivedat the first wireless communication device.
 5. The smart vehicle ofclaim 1, further comprising one of a biometric sensor or a weight scale.6. The smart vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first wirelesscommunication device and the second wireless communication device arecontactless smart cards.
 7. A method comprising: receiving, by a smartvehicle comprising at least one processor and an antenna positioned at adistance that is closer to a driver seat of the smart vehicle than apassenger seat of the smart vehicle, a first unique identifier from afirst wireless communication device associated with a first user and asecond unique identifier from a second wireless communication deviceassociated with a second user, both the first wireless communicationdevice and the second wireless communication device being within aproximity of the smart vehicle; determining, by the at least oneprocessor, that a communication link between the antenna and the firstwireless communication device is associated with a signal strength thatis greater than a signal strength associated with a communication linkbetween the antenna and the second wireless communication device;determining, by the at least one processor, based at least in part onthe communication link between the antenna and the first wirelesscommunication device being associated with the signal strength that isgreater than the signal strength associated with the communication linkbetween the antenna and the second wireless communication device andfurther based in part on the antenna being positioned closer to thedriver seat of the smart vehicle than the passenger seat of the smartvehicle, that the first user associated with the first wirelesscommunication device is a driver of the smart vehicle; determining, bythe at least one processor, a location of the smart vehicle, whereindetermining the location of the smart vehicle comprises receiving, froma roadside near-field communication transceiver, location informationrelated to the location of the smart vehicle; determining, by the atleast one processor, based on the location of the smart vehicle, to billthe driver; and transmitting, by the smart vehicle, to a billing server,across a network, the first unique identifier from the first wirelesscommunication device and the location of the smart vehicle, wherein thebilling server determines a user account associated with the firstunique identifier and bills the user account an amount based on thelocation of the smart vehicle.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein thelocation of the smart vehicle includes one of a lane on a highway, atoll booth, or a geo-fence.
 9. The method of claim 7, furthercomprising: transmitting a billing notification to the first wirelesscommunication device; and receiving a billing confirmation from thefirst wireless communication device.
 10. The method of claim 7, furthercomprising: determining a number of passengers in the smart vehicle; andbilling the user account based on the number of passengers in the smartvehicle.
 11. The method of claim 7, further comprising billing the useraccount based on a speed of the smart vehicle.
 12. A device memory thatstores instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of asmart vehicle comprising an antenna positioned at a distance that iscloser to a driver seat of the smart vehicle than a passenger seat ofthe smart vehicle, cause the at least one processor to performoperations comprising: receiving a first unique identifier from a firstwireless communication device associated with a first user and a secondunique identifier from a second wireless communication device associatedwith a second user, both the first wireless communication device and thesecond wireless communication device being within a first proximity ofthe smart vehicle; determining that a communication link between theantenna and the first wireless communication device is associated with asignal strength that is greater than a signal strength associated with acommunication link between the antenna and the second wirelesscommunication device; determining, based at least in part on thecommunication link between the antenna and the first wirelesscommunication device being associated with the signal strength that isgreater than the signal strength associated with the communication linkbetween the antenna and the second wireless communication device andfurther based in part on the antenna being positioned closer to thedriver seat of the smart vehicle than the passenger seat of the smartvehicle, that the first user associated with the first wirelesscommunication device is a driver of the smart vehicle; determining alocation of the smart vehicle, wherein determining the location of thesmart vehicle comprises receiving, from a roadside near-fieldcommunication transceiver, location information related to the locationof the smart vehicle; determining, based on the location of the smartvehicle, to bill the driver; and transmitting, across a network, to abilling server, the first unique identifier from the first wirelesscommunication device and the location of the smart vehicle, wherein thebilling server determines a user account associated with the firstunique identifier and bills the user account an amount based on thelocation of the smart vehicle.
 13. The device memory of claim 12,wherein the location of the smart vehicle includes any one of a lane ona highway, a toll booth, and a geo-fence.
 14. The device memory of claim12, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a plurality ofunique identifiers from a corresponding plurality of wirelesscommunication devices, the corresponding plurality of wirelesscommunication devices including the first wireless communication deviceand the second wireless communication device.
 15. The device memory ofclaim 14, wherein the operations further comprise determining a numberof passengers in the smart vehicle based in part on the plurality ofunique identifiers.
 16. The device memory of claim 12, wherein theoperations further comprise determining a number of passengers in thesmart vehicle based in part on a plurality of biometric sensors coupledto the smart vehicle.
 17. The device memory of claim 16, wherein theplurality of biometric sensors includes a weight scale coupled to a seatin the smart vehicle.